Demon's Kiss

Birthday

Allen heard the chimes ring over the door as he pushed it open. The interior of the shop was dark. Dust motes floated in the few light rays that shined down through the grime coated windows. He held the door open for the girl behind him. She scrunched up her face as she stepped inside.
“Are you sure about this, Allen.” She looked at the dust covered items. Flinching away from touching them.
The merry sound of the white haired teens laughter put a smile on the girl's face. “Lenalee this is perfect, what do you mean?” He chuckled. She flipped her cloak away from an exceptionally dirty floor stand..
“Everything is…” her voice ended in a cough as she accidently inhaled a lung full of dust. “oh Allen, I think Lavi would like something that won't endanger his health, or yours.” She added almost to herself.
“It has to be something special, Lenalee.” There was a note of winning in his voice. “You saw what he got me for my birthday!” he cried referring to the exquisite silk gloves, and fur lined cloak he had gotten Allen. It kind of stunk to have his birthday on Christmas. But Lavi had taken care to wrap these gifts in birthday paper. He even sang, if a bit off key, Happy birthday to Allen.
With the insistence that they spent the morning celebrating Allen's birthday with a genuine birthday cake, guests and all of it. That afternoon was spent for Christmas. Lavi had gone all out cooking an enormous Christmas dinner for them.
“He's the best boyfriend I have ever had!” the boy exclaimed.
“Isn't he the only one?” his companion asked as she wrapped her cloak tight to her body in order not to touch anything. She was already deciding she would need to wash this entire outfit as soon as she went home.
“No, well ok only serious boyfriend. That’s why I have to find the perfect gift for him.” He whined. “You need to help me, Lenalee.” He clutched her arm eating eyes boring into hers.
“Ok.” She agreed smiling into the scarred face. It was because of his scars that Allen thought no one could love him. He didn’t understand that no one really saw those scars. His heart and love for his friends outshined them.
She gave him a wide smile as she patted his gloved hand. The scars covered over half his left arm. Signs from his abusive guardian, who was currently somewhere unknown to any of them.
“Alright, let’s look around. Maybe we can find something.” She said looking doubtful. “A wooden leg, or hook to go with his eyepatch.” She teased until the pale boy with her laughed. No one understood why he needed to wear it. The teen never explained it either.
Separating they went to different locations in the pawn shop. Each searching for what they thought that the red haired pirate might like. Lenalee had headed toward the stairs. Hoping that maybe the items up above might be a bit cleaner. She didn’t touch the grime covered brass railing to search for something just right for the teen.
She shivered in the cool air. You wouldn't have guessed they were in the heart of summer by how dark and cold the inside of the shop felt like. She peered around various tables, carefully poking at objects to see what lay under them, or to get a closer look at them. Nothing screamed Lavi to her. She continued on.
Allen had gone deeper into the maze of tall shelves on the first floor. His silver eyes scanned over the pieces, bits and nuggets of junk crowding the place. The idea of coming here had been his. He had thought it might be a place to find something unique for his boyfriend. He still remembered the day he had met the lanky teen nearly two years ago. It was just after Allen's fifteenth birthday.
Allen's guardian, Marion Cross had moved them yet again. They moved into a double wide trailer that sat on its own foundation and land. It was outside of town surrounded by trees. Allen's heart had sank at seeing it. It was secluded. A place where Cross could do whatever he wanted to do to the young teen. There was a full basement with a small bedroom sectioned off. This was where Cross told him he would live. The fact that the basement door had a lock on the outside only meant that his unstable guardian could lock him down there for days if he wanted too. There was no other way out.
The following Monday Allen started the new school. He wore baggy clothes that covered his burnt arm. Make up covered the scars on his face, along with a hoodie and  keeping his head down, Allen tried to become invisible. There was no reason to make friends when he could be moving away again on a whim. Often, Cross would move them in the dead of the night.
Allen had been able to remain as unnoticed as possible that first day. He had managed to get his counselor from his previous school to write a note stating he had extreme anxiety. It said for the teachers to not call him up in front of the class or in any way make it apparent that Allen was a new student.
On that first day he gave this note to the current school counselor who went to each of his teachers and explained the situation. Allen was then allowed to go into classes with the rest of the students. A few did note the new body in their midst. When anyone brought it up, the teacher just called for order or changed the topic.
All but one student took this to mean to leave the quiet boy alone. Heading into lunch,  Allen kept his white hair covered, kept his head down. He got his lunch tray and walked out into the loud noisy child filled room. With a quick glance in each direction he tried to find the least crowded table. As he stepped away from the lunch line, an arm fell over his thin shoulders.
“Looks like you need a place to sit.” The jovial voice said. Looking up Allen saw a tall lanky red head biting into a very juicy apple. That emerald eye twinkled as he caught Allen starring at the juice on the others thin lips. Then he turned to face Allen directly. The boy staggered a step back. A small “oh" escaped his lips as he saw the eyepatch.
“Yeah, not the prettiest thing about my face, but I don’t bother hiding under a hoodie all day because of it.” With the arm still around his shoulders. The red haired boy had dragged him toward a table. Talking the entire way. “Name’s Lavi. Lavi Bookman, Jr. But most don’t put the Jr. on. I prefer it that way since my dad’s gone and all. My grandfather and I get along all right. Ever since the little panda took me in my life has been… well my life.” The skin around his eyes crinkled as he grinned. Eating the apple and jabbering away, Allen could only stare at the other boy. In all of his travels he had never encountered someone like him.
“Hey, that’s rude!” Lavi suddenly exclaimed. Allen blinked. He kicked at the feet of a kid with dark hair who had his booted feet on an open seat at the table the pirate teen had taken him too.
“This lug is Tyki Mikk.” The boy sat up straight with a little wave and smirk at the new student. “This is Noise, don’t bother waving, he's blind.” Noise waved to Allen who squeaked out a hi at him. “That's Lenalee, Miranda, Alma, Daisya and Krory.” He rounded out the remaining students. Pressing Allen down into a seat, Lavi sat on the one Tyki had his feet on.
“So tell us newbie, what’s your name?” he asked stealing food from each of the others plates. They appeared to be used to this. It took him a moment. He blinked stupidly at Lavi.
“Come on, out with it. Everyone has a name. Are you mute? Need some paper?” Lavi asked.
“Allen.” He cleared his throat. “Allen Walker.” He said. Lavi grinned and took his hand.
“It's nice to meet you Allen Walker.” Lavi's smile was contagious, Allen couldn’t help smiling back.
Allen kept his new friends secret from Cross. He also tried not to shower at school but after two months he was forced to. The school had notified Cross who threatened to beat him or lock him in the basement for a week without food. So, Allen showered. Lavi saw the scars. The shock in that emerald eye had Allen feeling he had lost his friend. He had grabbed his things and ran out of the locker room. He avoided Lavi and any of the others the rest of the day.
Once he had gotten home, Cross was waiting on the front lawn. Allen stepped off of the school bus. Fear gripped him. He couldn’t breath seeing Lavi seated across from his abuser.
“Allen, come join us. Your friend came here worried about you.” Cross's voice was too happy. Allen had walked over sitting gingerly on the empty seat.
“I’m fine.” He told Lavi. “What are you worried about?” he asked.
“Just that you looked down today.” Lavi said. It was like the boy was good at reading the situation. He left soon after. Allen spent the next ten days locked in the basement. Cross insisted he was in a gay, unnatural relationship with the good looking boy, Cross's exact words. Cross wasn’t going to allow one of “them" living under his roof. Allen failed to ever tell him that he did indeed prefer males to females.
Apparently Cross told the school they were going on vacation. However, when Lavi hadn't been able to get in touch with Allen for several days he came by the house. Cross was gone, out on one of his drinking benders. Allen heard the boy pounding on the door. The tall boy was yelling his name.
“Lavi, over here.” Allen called. Lavi walked around the trailer until he found the pale boy pressed against the bars to the small windows in his prison cell.
“Hi.” Allen said shyly.
“What's going on, Allen?” Something about talking to Lavi, everything came pouring out. Lavi had gone to get him a supply of food and water he could hide in his room for when Cross did this again.
When Allen had halting told Lavi about the whole gay thing the boy had just laughed.
“Well would you want to be in a gay relationship with me?” He winked that emerald eye at the scared teen. Allen didn’t think he was serious. But when the white haired boy got out of his confinement, Lavi had tried again to get the boy to go on a date with him. Three months later Allen finally said yes. They had been together ever since.  Six months after they first met. It was a little over a year now.
Lavi had been the strong light in Allen's life. Time after time he had saved the scared scarred boy. Allen had kept Lavi from confronting Cross many times over the last year. With everything the taller boy had done for him, Allen wanted to make this birthday the best he could for his boyfriend. He had even decided he would allow Lavi to have sex with him.
Lavi had never pressed him into this. He had been supportive each time Allen flinched away from that very action. It was to the point where Lavi would stop before they went to far. Often making a joke about it. Allen was beginning to feel that he wanted the next step. He was sure Lavi was and would always be the true love of his life.
They had talked a lot after Lvi bandaged up burns,, cuts and bearing from Cross, about them getting their own place as soon as he could.  The warm feeling this thought gave Allen was better than he had ever thought possible.
Suddenly, There on a back shelf Allen saw it. A dull golden spy glass. He picked it up in his gloved hand, dusting it off. With some polishing it would be perfect.
“Lenalee!” he yelled as he ran back to where he last saw the girl. She came to the top of the stairs. A smile filled her face as she saw what the pale boy held.
“Oh, Allen, That's perfect.”